Summer's Resolve
by xX.Dark.and.Light.Xx
Summary: Why do people become wizards? They are all the same: they just want to be able to protect themselves from the pain the felt once before. Every wizard had a family, a past, that gives them the resolve to fight. But what is Natsu's? Rated T for future chapters. I do not own Fairy Tail.
1. Chapter 1

**Tell Me What Magic Is**

Chapter 1

Cold wind bit the cheeks of the boy. They were small, warning bites of the soon-to-come storm. Snow had dominated his home for a long time now. Harsh whiteness already clung to the pine trees, and the gray skies guaranteed nothing but more wind and snow and ice.

He resented his father. He was always forces to hunt because all the money they had went to his father's debt. After living for fourteen years, the boy wished to be free from the burdens of manual labor. There seemed to be no way to even lessen the burden. There was only one way the boy knew of, and it was forbidden by his father: magic. Magic was capable of so many extraordinary things that the boy wanted to see, experience, use…But his father said no, so he obeyed.

The boy saw movement from the corner of his icy, blue eyes. A brownish-gray color darted in between the white and green of the tree. The boy grabbed an arrow from his quiver and notched it into his bowstring. He could hear the bounding of hooves supporting a large creature and the huffing and braying of a deep-chested animal. It was getting closer…closer…_ZING!_

The boy let his arrow fly in the direction of the strange beast. He heard a deep moan and then a thud as the animal's body dropped to the ground. The boy walked over to the fallen animal. I was an elk. The boy groaned "_How am I supposed to carry this home before the snowstorm kicks in? Unless…" _the boy thought with a shudder.

He cut the elk's underside open and climbed inside. He cringed at the claustrophobic heat and the smell of digesting grass. It would provide decent shelter from the freezing elements, but it was…unsanitary.

The boy climbed out of the elk's organs. The sun was radiating warmth that promised new opportunities along with the new day.

"How was hunting?" the boy's father asked as the boy barged in their meager living quarters with the elk dragging behind him.

"Fine. Just fine!" the boy spat. "I _love_ sleeping the intestines of a filthy elk!"

"Be quiet…! And don't drag it. We could use its skin."

"Oh, yeah, so you can gamble it in your futile attempts to make money?"

"Shut up, and go to your room!" his father hissed.

The boy entered his room and slammed the door shut, causing the whole house to vibrate. "And don't slam my door!" his father yelled through the wood. The boy furrowed his eyebrows in frustration and plopped down on his straw-stuffed cot. His seven year old brother sat across from him on his own cot.

"Welcome home, Zeref-niisan!" he said. The boy smiled ever so slightly. His brother always found the simplest things that could make him smile.

"Hi, Natsu," he replied.


	2. Chapter 2

**What Is Magic: Chapter 2**

**A/N: Dark: You all thought the boy was Natsu, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?!**

** Light: Dark, calm down. That was the point. The boy being Zeref was a surprise.**

** Dark: But—**

** Light: No, I'm not gonna listen!**

** Both: Fairy Tail is owned by Mashima-san.**

Zeref peered out of the windows, looking in amazement at the wisps of snow that moved like magic. Natsu was already asleep. Zeref smiled at his sleeping brother. His spiky, pink hair reminded him of his mother. She had died four years ago: when Zeref was ten and Natsu was two. Natsu was only two; he would never know his mother. He looked like her too. With his pink locks and big grins. Zeref would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous of Natsu's resemblance to their mother. Zeref had her icy, blue eyes, and he cherished them so. She was going to teach Zeref magic. She wasn't a strong wizard. She was only capable of spells like levitation, so when she died from using up all her energy, it was quite a shock. Ever since then, their father was intolerable towards magic.

"Did you learn your lesson now?" Zeref's father asked as he entered the room.

"Yes, Father," Zeref said robotically. After so many times of this, he learned that the trick was to just nod.

"Zeref…" his father said again. Zeref turned this time. Usually, he just walked after an answer.

"Yes, Father?" asked Zeref.

"What was wrong?"

Zeref growled, "Everything's wrong! Mom dying is wrong! You remarrying another woman to replace Mom is wrong! You gambling everything we owned is wrong! You! You are wrong!"

"What was I supposed to do, Zeref?! I was grieving over the only woman I ever loved!"

"Well, why didn't you take care of your children when they needed you?! What, were you too drunk?!"

"I can't do anything now, Zeref, so what do you want?!" his father asked angrily.

"I want to learn magic!" Zeref said as he walked out of the little hut he called home.

"I forbid you from learning magic!" his father screeched as he watched Zeref walk into the wood.


	3. Chapter 3

**What Is Magic: Chapter 3**

**A/N: Light: Wow, Dark, this is the third chapter all day.**

** Dark: So? Why does it matter, you stupid cat?**

** Light: Well, this **_**is**_** our first story ever, and why did you call me a cat?**

** Dark: What comes before cat?**

** Light: It's p—Hey! That is so sexist, Dark!**

** Dark: How is sexist if we're both girls?**

** Light: …**

** Both: Fairy Tail is owned by Mashima-san.**

Zeref wandered in the forest for hours. He didn't know where he was going, and he didn't care. All he wanted to do was get away from his father. This was how he would defy him. Zeref would even learn magic, not because it reminded him of his father, but because it was a way to defy his father. But where would he learn magic?

"Gah! I hate you, you rotten, old man! I just wanna learn magic! You son of a bitch, I hate you! I'll kill you, you bastard!" Zeref screamed towards the sky. His voice echoed through the forest, leaving every creature quiet. Every creature was quiet…That was strange. The forest is an entire ecosystem. Why would the birds cease to sing and the water cease to flow? Zeref looked around, puzzled by the absolute silence.

"Do you truly wish to learn magic?" boomed a voice. Zeref looked around again. No human could ever produce a sound do deep. But those were the least of Zeref's concern. All he wanted to do was defy his father and learn magic.

"Yes, I do, but who are you? In fact, _where_ are you?" asked Zeref.

"I am Mokushiroku the Death Dragon, and I can teach you magic. Tell me your name, human," boomed the dragon.

"Zeref. I…I am Zeref Dragneel. Teach me magic, Death Dragon."

Mokushiroku began to laugh. "Do you know what my name, _Mokushiroku_, mean, human? It means "the end of the world! _I _am the strongest dragon. No other dragon has ever bested me. They all fear me! And I will make you fear me as well. Just like my first dispel. Do you still wish to learn from me, Mokushiroku the Death Dragon?"

Zeref nodded, "I want to learn magic, and you are granting me just that. So teach me like you said, dragon!"

The dragon laughed again. "Are you sure—?"

"Teach me, you stupid beast!" Zeref screamed. "I am perfectly capable of learning from you, dragon!"

Zeref glared at the Death Dragon with all the hate and pain and malice that had accumulated over the years. "Ryu-sensei to you, ningen," said the dragon.

Trees crunched under Mokushiroku's weight as he departed deeper into the forest. Zeref stood there, puzzling over what just happened.

_I'm going to learn magic._

Zeref smiled. He was going to learn magic. He was going to defy his father in the biggest way possible. He was going to save his brother from the life they already they already lived. There was no way Zeref would let his dear brother, Natsu, face the hardships he faced. Maybe Natsu could learn magic too. Maybe, maybe, maybe. There were so many new opportunities that were open to Zeref now. _I could even surpass Ryu-sensei._

Zeref knew he was getting too excited. He hadn't ever _started _yet, and he was already fantasizing about being the strongest wizard in the world. But then again, there were so many new opportunities that were open to Zeref now.

**A/N: Dark: You better have liked it!**

** Light: Dark, please calm down…**

** Dark: I can't. Natsu's been poking me ever since chapter one!**

** Light: Natsu, please don't poke Dark. She gets…angry when she's bothered.**

** Natsu: Aw! I just wanna know what happens! I mean, where does Igneel come in?**

** Dark: All in due time, Natsu! *Seething with anger***

** Light: -_-* Anywho…! Read and Review! Yonde kurete arigato! (Thanks for reading!)**


	4. Chapter 4

**What is Magic?: Chapter 4**

**A/N: Natsu: Does Igneel come in soon?!**

** Light: I don't know. It depends on the chapter lengths.**

** Dark: They're pretty short if you ask me…**

** Light: Okay, you're entitled to you opinion, Dark.**

** All: Enjoy! R&R Standard disclaimer applies!**

** Natsu: But, seriously, when does Igneel come in?**

** Dark: URUSAI! *Punches Natsu***

Zeref trained with Mokushirok for four years.

"Show me your power, Zeref!" Ryu-sensei screeched. "If you can even make a scratch on my scales—no, if you can even make be stumble, I will teach you the ultimate Death magic…"

Zeref wanted to do it. He could surpass his teacher. If dragons existed, then anything was possible.

"Shiryu no hoko!" Zeref screamed. A black beam blasted toward Mokushiroku. It killed anything that obscured its path. It hit Zeref's teacher right in one of his dark, red eyes.

"AAHHHH!" the dragon screamed. "That was dirty, Zeref…"

"You never said it had to be a clean shot," Zeref retorted. It felt good to make the dragon feel pain. Mokushiroku was not a kind teacher. Praises were replaced by sarcastic remarks and insults like "You aren't strong enough to do it" of "My _other _student was stronger."

Mokushiroku laughed a bit. "No, I suppose not. Zeref, I will teach you the last technique I know. Place your middle and ring finger down onto the same hand…Yes, now hold out two fingers and your thumb on the other hand. Put your wrists together…Good." Zeref followed the instructions and lunged his arms forward, curious to see the effect. "No, Zeref, you fool! Don't point it at me!" cried the Death Dragon.

Black energy surrounded Zeref as he held out his hands. It expanded, killing every living thing within a fifteen foot radius. Mokushiroku's whole paw was caught in the blackness. Slowly, he disintergrated from his paw and up until his whole body was gone. "You are a fool, you black wizard…" he whispered to the black wizard. Zeref smiled, "Yes, I like that. 'The Kuro Madoshi.'"

Suddenly, he doubled over in pain. Liquid flowed from his eye from the pain. No, not from the pain. It _was _the pain. Zeref wiped his eyes and examined the tears. Except…They weren't tears; they were blood.

Zeref hurried home. He barged through the door, nearly causing it to fly off its hinges.

"Don't _do_ that, Zeref—what happened to your eyes?" asked his father. His onyx eyes wide with fear. Zeref looked around. The only ones in the house were the strange woman that had tried to replace his mother and his bum of a father.

"What's wrong with them? Do they remind you too much of Mom?" sneered Zeref.

"Zeref, why are your eyes red…?"

Zeref froze. The only thing that he had inherited from his mother were her eyes, and now they were gone. He snarled like some horrid beast and punched his father in rage. He coughed up blood. "Don—don't hit you father!" he screamed. The woman screamed. Loudly. Too loudly. Loud enough for her to have to be silenced. Zeref grabbed a kitchen knife and slit her throat. His father gaped in horror as she fell lifelessly to the ground. Zeref smiled as he watched her red blood spew from the gash like a fountain. He loved the sight of blood, the smell of death, the sound of bloodcurdling screams. It filled him with a sort of pride to see other human beings crawl at the level of his feet.

He licked the blood off the knife. "Sorry, to make you wait, sir. Our tools needed to be cleaned," he said to his father. His father could only cry like a little child as the knife came down…again…and again…and again…fifty times.

Zeref wasn't an idiot. Far from it. When someone found the bodies, who would be the prime suspect? Not Zeref, not if he put the knife in someone else's hand…He opened the woman's clenched hand and placed the knife in it, clenching her fingers once more.

Zeref smiled. He wanted this, and he liked it.

**A/N: Light: That was dark…**

** Dark: I…loved it!**

** Natsu: You guys are psychotic…**

** Zeref: Wasn't it what I wanted? If it's what I wanted, then I won't protest.**

** Natsu: Dark, you own me a fight! You punched me earlier!**

** Dark: So? Gray punches you all the time**

** Natsu: Yeah, but…You're a girl…so…**

** Dark: You're sexist, Natsu.**

** Light: O-kay…Read and Review! Yonde kurete arigato! (Thanks for reading!)**


	5. Chapter 5

**What is Magic?: Chapter 5**

**A/N: Light: Okay, this is probably going to be the last chapter.**

** Dark: Finally! Writing five chapters in one day is exhausting!**

** Light: I have to agree with you on that one. Our first story in one day!**

** Both: Enjoy and R&R!**

"Who found the bodies?" a knight asked his coworker.

"The younger son, Natsu Dragneel," he replied. Zeref stood next to his eleven year old brother. Natsu's onyx eyes seemed hollowed out by horror. Natsu shivered.

"Are you cold?" Zeref asked him.

"No, I'm fine, Zeref-niisan," Natsu answered. "I'm fine…"

It had been one month since the finding of their bodies. The Rune Knights had ruled it out to be as murder-suicide, but the boy knew better.

Zeref sat in his father's old room—his room now—as he drew a magic circle around himself. This magic circle would tell him if he had surpassed Mokushiroku. This would summon all the dragons. Even Mokushiroku's student, Acnologia.

Zeref was always curious as to who Mokushiroku's "other" student was. Well, it was the dragon with black wings, Acnologia. Zeref only knew about him because he had once been the Dragon King, he had once been human. And when Zeref read that the Dragon King had been "swallowed whole" by a black-winged dragon, Zeref connected the dots quickly…

Zeref completed the magic circle. Light shined from the markings. At first, nothing seemed to happen. Zeref waited fifteen minutes…then thirty…then forty-five…an hour…That's when everyone in the village heard the roars. Zeref ran outside to see the sky dotted with red dragons, white dragons, black dragons, and green ones. "_Where is Acnologia?!"_ he wondered angrily. The green one attacked first. A red dragon opened his mouth to speak. "Zirconis, humans are not our enemy. There is no need to fight them!"

"_Fight?_ These puny humans can't fight us, Igneel. Frankly, they taste delicious!" replied the green dragon.

"Zirconis!" the dragon roared. Red and green clashed, crushing any man-made object. The red dragon, Igneel, took flight. There were articles of clothing snagged on his scales and spikes.

"WHO IS THE WIZARD THAT SUMMONED US?!" Igneel bellowed.

"I am!" Zeref screamed towards the red dragon, Igneel. Igneel swooped down to meet the mage.

"You should not have summoned us, dragons," Igneel said.

"Don't worry, I'm perfectly capable of killing every last one of you. That's why I summoned you in the first place!" Zeref countered.

"You summoned all these dragons…?" asked Natsu.

"Natsu?"

"I…I saw you kill them. I…saw you kill Dad and Mom."

"That woman is _not_ our mother!" Zeref screamed toward his brother. He approached the pink haired boy. He was angry, and Natsu was the cause.

"G-Get away!" Natsu yelled.

"No, Natsu, I am you brother!" Zeref yelled back.

"No, y-you're not my brother! Get! Away!" Natsu screamed as he swung his hand. An orange magic erupted on his hand, creating a slash of fire that nearly burned his entire face.

His brother hated him. Natsu hated him. Zeref only learned magic so that he could protect Natsu. And now…Natsu hated him. Why didn't he see that this was all for him?

"Natsu, you fool…I learned magic for you!" Zeref shouted.

"I didn't ask you to learn magic! I was fine, content. I was even happy!"

"Black Mage…" said Igneel. "I'll make you a deal. Erase the magic circle that brought here, and I'll erase your brother ill memories of you."

"What?!" cried Natsu. "No, I don't want this!"

"I don't care, Natsu!" Zeref yelled; he turned his attention back to Igneel. "Deal."

Igneel leaped into the air and grabbed the boy, Natsu with his tail.

"Let me go, you monster!" Natsu screamed as he kicked and punched the dragon in vain.

"How could you be so selfish? Trading my memory for you freedom! I don't want to go back to him!"

Igneel spoke to the boy for the first time, "Don't worry. I have no intention of giving you back to that dark wizard." Then he lashed his tail, flinging Natsu into the air. Natsu screamed. He was going to die…

And then he landed on the dragon's back. "I am Igneel the Fire Dragon."

"Natsu Dragneel," the boy replied. Igneel suddenly felt the compulsion to be in this village fade. Zeref had erased the magic circle.

"You have quite a knack for fire magic," said Igneel.

"I guess…" Natsu said as he shivered. It was winter and his clothes were in rags. He was practically shirtless. The cold wind blasting from the intense speeds only made it worse.

"Are you cold?" Igneel asked, Natsu nodded. "Don't nod if I can't see you!"

"But how did you know I nodded if you can't see me?" Igneel sighed with a chuckle. "If you get cold, there's a scarf snagged on one of my spines."

Natsu searched the dragon's back until he saw a white, scaly scarf on a spine. The boy stood up and hopped from spike to spike until he reached the white muffler. "I got it!" he called. Igneel strained his neck to look at the boy. He had to erase his memory, do he did what he had to. He blew flames onto the boy. Natsu screamed as the flames engulfed him, only to fall unconscious when he realized the flames didn't burn. These flames would erase Zeref from his memories…as well as put the pink headed boy into a deep slumber for a very long time.

1000 years later, X767

"Natsu, good morning!" Igneel said cheerfully.

"Morning, Igneel!" Natsu replied with the same gusto.

"You have quite a knack for fire magic," Igneel said.

"I do?" asked Natsu.

"Yes, and I'm going to teach you Fire Dragon Slayer magic!"

"_I've kept him asleep for too long," _thought Igneel, "_I don't want to have to leave him in ten years, but…" _Igneel shook his head. It was too early to think about these things. "We'll begin training tomorrow!"

Natsu smiled and nodded, "I can't wait, Dad!"

**A/N: Natsu: Yay! Igneel!**

** Dark: Yes, Igneel, are you happy now?**

** Natsu: Yep!**

** Light: I hope you all enjoyed! Our first story done. Good job, us! I would like to thank my first follower hakuryuusscar and the first person to "favorite" me Suspiciousmeowfanfics. Read and Review! Yonde kurete arigato! (Thanks for reading!) Ja'ne!**


End file.
